


Agreeable Arrangements

by Lordoflesamis



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Bottom Ben Solo, Canon Divergence, Emperor Hux, Finn is a gardener, It's very much a fairytale romance in the background, Jedi Ben Solo, Leia tries so hard and deserves so much, Multi, Padme Lives, Poe and Ben are brothers, Slow Burn, and a very stubbornly reluctant romance in the foreground, tags will be added as this goes on, they're very cute
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2018-01-05
Packaged: 2018-08-15 19:56:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8070616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lordoflesamis/pseuds/Lordoflesamis
Summary: In order to ensure the safety of her people, Queen Leia of Naboo agrees to marry her eldest son Ben to the young Emperor Hux. During a two-week preliminary period, the two must learn to at least agree on something, or the lives of billions could be ruined, or taken away at the emperor's whim. Ben is less than pleased about his situation, to start; when it comes to politics Hux is insufferable and cold. But he begins to realise that this is more of a facade than Hux's character, and as time goes on this marriage seems like less of a bad idea- not that he'd admit that to Hux, of course.





	1. Preliminary Arrangements (1)

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I'm so addicted to these two it's unreal! I've tried to keep their characters as canon (at least to the fanon) as possible, as for Ben he has the potential to become dark, the anger is still very much inside of him, but due to his grandmother's influence and the system in which he grows up in in this universe, he has not turned to the darkside. I don't pretend to understand the political system of the Star Wars Universe, i'm just taking my favourite parts from it and putting my own ideas in as the rest :)  
> (I edited a few of the references in here because, as a couple of reviewers pointed out, they didn't fit with the nature of the story)

Leia only lifted her head from her hands when the doors to her chambers were opened, three hours after she had made and sent her decision to the emperor. In the doorway stood her sons, stock still and waiting on her response. She sighed and stood, gesturing for them to sit. Poe, her younger, adopted son, obeyed, swallowing nervously, not for himself but for the man still standing in the doorway, mouth a thin line of concern, of anger waiting to be released. 

“Mother,” Ben said, and he closed the doors behind himself in a smooth movement that also carried him across to the other royals, “Please tell me you didn’t agree to such ridiculous demands.” When Leia didn’t reply, just cast her gaze to the window beyond her sons, both men shouted in anguish.

“You can’t do this to me!” Ben said, almost yelling, fists on the table.

“It’s unjust and unfair!” Poe said, slightly softer than his brother, though he had stood.

Leia sat down and folded her hands over the desk. She waited, watching the boys glance at each other in horror, something unspoken crossing between them. After a few beats, they slowly turned to face her.

“Which one of us was part of the Emperor’s deal, mother?” Ben asked, quiet. Quiet was not a good sign. Leia sighed.

“The Emperor specified that my heir was a crucial part of the bargain.”

Poe was relieved, thinking back to the gardener with the soft smile and kind eyes. Ben sat down now, swallowing, the colour draining in his face. He was shaking. Poe put a hesitant hand on his shoulder, and cast an angry look at his mother, “And you agreed?”

Leia nodded, now looking firm, but not unkindly at her children, “We are but a small group of planets on the outer rim of HIS solar system. If we were to deny him of those demands, I fear we would be facing the wrong end of that foul weapon of his.”

Both sons were visibly uneasy now, and she placed a hand on one of each of their shoulders, “Think of your people. Poe, I promise you do not have to agree with the Emperor. By no means will we stop fighting for the livelihood of people under his rule. By no means will we stop striving for justice and freedom. But we can do this under his nose, more safely, with less bloodshed. Democratically.” She paused, and moved her hand from Poe’s shoulder to Ben’s face, “Sweetheart.” He flinched. “Think of it as a spy mission. You are both aware of the marriage’s political motivations, you will only be expected to consummate it once-“

“Mother, please!” Ben stood, pulling away from her and knocking the chair flying. It crashed to the floor, making Poe jump and look at his hands folded in his lap, and his mother to cross her arms. Stern. Like a true democrat.

But Ben was not a politician. He knew his grandmother and parents and uncle liked to pretend he was. But Ben was a warrior, a Jedi warrior. Like his grandfather, like his uncle, like his little cousin Rey. Jedis didn’t get married, and they certainly didn’t get married off to some awful monster capable of eliminating billions in one heartbeat, like the infamous Emperor Hux. Ben would not marry such an evil, such a wicked person. He would not, he would not, he couldn’t! 

Things in the office were beginning to hover ominously. Poe, who had been forced to stand when his chair had begun to vibrate underneath him, glanced at his mother before placing a hand on his brother’s arm. 

“Ben. You’re not alone in this. You still have us. Just be there as much as is considered right, you don’t have to interact with him at all! It’s a massive palace, and you won’t share bedrooms!”  
Ben shuddered at the thought, but the unintentional angry force using had ceased at Poe’s support. Leia smiled slightly, despite the anger inside. 

“We will be following our own marriage proceedures,” she said, going to her desk and sliding open a drawer, “So, as per tradition, you will meet with him two weeks before the wedding, and he will come to stay with us here for that period.”

Ben froze, “And after that?”

Leia hesitated, “You will be married here. And then, the Emperor will decide where you reside. Whether here with us, in his palace with him or in a separate palace for you in a location of his desire.”

Ben looked as if she had strangled Poe to death in front of him; desperately sad but angry, hungry to fight and avenge. Ben often looked like that. His aura was dark and spiteful, as her father’s had been. Leia turned away, “For the first three days, as per tradition” she found herself repeating, as if she was not to blame for this, “You will only see each other at meal times, and there shall be no distinguishing between you and your attendants.”

Ben had five ‘attendants’, as his grandmother had once had Handmaidens. They were roughly the same age as he was, and each resembled him enough so that careful makeup could make them appear clones. It was a security measure, but Ben suspected, as he did, his mother enjoyed watching suitors flounder to try and guess which one he was. Once, his grandmother had told him in a whisper, that the man or woman who could recognise him by the glint in his eye was the person who should hold his heart forever. His mother had said that the way a suitor treated each one of the six while not knowing was a good indication of his character. Ben thought they focused far too much on suitors and not enough on how they were going to train him to use his powers. Even Uncle Luke was reluctant to teach him more than control.

“After this, you will meet him for an evening alone, and discuss negotiations for the personal side of your marriage.” She looked at Ben wearily, “During which I expect you to be as democratic and giving as possible, obviously keeping yourself comfortable and safe all the same. If he demands something of you particularly upsetting, you may alert me of it and I shall deal with it.”

Ben nodded, but the scowl remained. 

“After this point you will be expected to spend your evenings together, though this can be with others, and at least one meal a day on your own. Then you will be apart for fourty-eight hours before the wedding ceremony, which you can spend however you want.” 

Ben glared at the floor for a while. Leia waited.

“How do you know this man isn’t as much of a monster as I believe him to be?” He exploded, finally, “How can you be sure he will stick to his end of the deal? He may go back on his word well after we are married!”

“I don’t have a choice!” Leia snapped, suddenly vulnerable. A little quieter, she continued, “Ben, son. You think I chose this easily? The last thing I wanted for you was for you to marry like this. You are my heir, true, but you are also my son, and I love you.” She placed her hands on his face, “Darling. You will still be heir this way. And heir to his empire. If he’s truly awful-“ she glanced at Poe, then met Ben’s eyes, “I will deal with him, and you will rule the galaxy.”

Ben’s eyes widened in understanding. A smile spread across his striking features, “Now there’s an idea.”

~

Hux took one long, wistful look at his palace. The white marble of its exterior glinted in the cold sun, and he once again wished the prince wasn’t such a valuable asset. This fortnight ridiculous notion was restricting so much of his work. What little business could be sorted from Naboo on his PADD would have to do, but he was dissatisfied with such little control. He ruled the galaxy, the vast expanse of space and the trillions and trillions of beings who lived within it. As such, there was a lot of work to be done and a lot of decisions to be made. Although he did not doubt his officer’s skills within their own occupations, he was uneasy about the idea of leaving them in charge of his empire. What if they made the wrong decision and caused unrest? The empire was relatively peaceful. It didn’t need a sudden change in leader or administration. It was the last thing Hux needed anyway. 

He sighed, stressed as the shuttle moved away from his home, and resisted the urge to tear at his hair, which was neatly combed back into place. He would change into proper uniform later, for formality’s sake, but for now he wore loose fitting clothes, making him seem much smaller and much less important than he was. Phasma, reclining on the sofa across from him in combat boots, tight-fitting leather trousers and a standard-uniform tank top, looked as intimidating without her armour as she did with it, but Hux did not have that luxury. He had to work hard to look menacing, despite his reputation. Even his greatcoat had padding to make him appear broader. 

He wondered briefly whether or not he should try and appear broader to his future husband tomorrow, then scolded himself, reminding himself that this was not a marriage of love, this was a political move. A game, he reminded himself, emotions were irrelevant, and dangerous when it came to this. As emperor he would need to take on multiple female consorts regardless, so there was no room for a loving or committed relationship on his end. As for his husband, Hux felt strongly that he should be the only one with access to his husband. He was the emperor, after all. Everything in the galaxy was his, and his alone. 

And he wouldn’t have it any other way.


	2. Developments (2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! sorry for the wait I had a lot of personal shit and deadlines- now I don't, so updates are going to be more regular! I hope you enjoy, I'm really excited for the rest of this story!

Rey found Ben in the gardens, meditating with his back to the palace, his face grim as it tilted towards the rising sun. She had heard the news last night, from Poe, and while she had wanted to find him sooner, she knew his fury would be too intense, and so she had had a restless night in wait. His chest was rising and falling serenely; she wondered if he had meditated all night to calm himself.  
Sighing her anxieties out, his cousin took a seat beside, and placed a hand on his knee. Silence, then he opened his eyes, which were weary, and looked at her with a sad smile, “You heard then?”  
Rey nodded, then, trembling slightly, pulled him into an embrace, “I’m so sorry, Ben!”  
Over his shoulder the staff were beginning to prepare for the emperor’s imminent arrival. A marquee was being set up in the garden outside the dining hall, to have breakfasts in the open. In the usually-unused ballroom, maids dusted and swept, and quarters were being prepared for the emperor to stay in, a large room whose balcony was directly opposite Ben’s own chambers. In a few hours, Ben would have to be dressed with his attendants, and greet his future husband. But for now, he was trying to make peace with his fate and avoid his mother.  
Rey was now silent, staring at her own hands as Ben tried to gather his thoughts enough to voice his concerns without yelling. “I wish I wasn’t my parents son.” He muttered, after a while, and Rey couldn’t find an answer he would like, or that would help.  
“I wish it was anyone but him” she replied, and leant her head on his shoulder.

“I hate these political introductions,” Phasma declared, and Hux rolled his eyes.  
“Good thing you’re a bodyguard and not a politican” he drawled, and she snorted, prodding at her breakfast half-heartedly. Despite their extremely professional relationship, Phasma was the closest thing Hux had to a friend. She had watched him take on the role of emperor too young, after the death of his father and the assassination of the supreme leader Snoke. (she was of the opinion that this had been carefully orchestrated by the fifteen-year-old Armitage, but she could never be sure. Besides, it wasn’t wise to accuse the emperor of such things.) She had helped him establish his authority, she had helped him to conquer three planets and now she would help him subdue the republic. Even if it was through democracy, not violence, which was her speciality.  
Their ship had been cleared for landing. She could have sworn Hux looked nervous. He was especially striking that morning, pale as anything in his jet black military uniform, standing tall with his hands behind his back. His hair was flattened and combed, and he had a calm, confident smile on his face reserved for political meetings. But his eyes flitted a little too fast around the room for her liking. She smiled reassuringly, “If it doesn’t go the way we want we can always take up our threat.”  
She watched the flash of excitement in his eyes at the power he held. Starkiller was his favourite toy, but he had to restrain itself from creating “incidents” with other republics and empires. And destroying your own planets was a somewhat fruitless effort. Reminding Hux that he had the power to kill his future husband should things go sour shouldn’t have worked so well, but you don’t grow up well-adjusted if you’re unquestioned emperor of a galaxy at fifteen.  
The planet below them was beautiful. Green expanses over valleys and mountains, giant lakes teeming with flying fish. The sky was full of blue, and glorious sunshine made millions of different flowers bloom. Hux grimaced, and asked his PA Mitaka to check if he had packed suncream. “Affirmative, Your Imperial Majesty.”  
A greying man in a white robe was waiting for them with the Senator. He nodded his head at the emperor, but did not bow. Hux was not affronted, nor surprised; Jedis did not tend to enjoy his company, and he was wary of them in turn; powers he could not possess often made him uncomfortable. He had heard that the prince was one of them, but this didn’t particularly bother him; there were ways of controlling one’s ‘gift’ with very little physical pain.  
“Emperor Hux,” Leia greeted, cold. Diplomatic, but not happily. Hux didn’t care.  
“Princess,” He replied in turn, having discovered her preference for General months ago.  
Behind Leia there was a small group of republic soldiers. They stood in three rows, and centre front was a young man Hux recognised as the youngest prince of the Skywalker clan. Though Hux saw him as quite illegitimate; the empire did not recognise adopted royalty, and as a sign that the republic needed serious reorganisation. Because of this, he scolded himself internally for noticing how attractive the man was, even in his barely concealed anger.  
“I hope your journey was pleasant,” Leia said, as they began to walk, preceeded by the soldiers, followed by Phasma and her men, and five of Hux’s lieutenants, who began to organise the luggage and other trivial things Hux would never have to think about.  
“It was. I hope preparations haven’t been too much of a strain on you. I know how little resources are available to you at the moment.”  
Leia had to take a deep breath and stop herself from snapping that preparations had of course been the usual burden, but it was especially hard because they were for someone who she despised so much, who did not seem to contain such a shred of decency that he would cut off a whole system’s trade, and threaten to do worse if he could not force someone to marry him and submit the system. She tried not to remark that resources would be more bountiful, she was sure, if they were looking for them in the region of the emperor’s image of himself. Instead, knowing the state her republic was in and calling on the strength of her mother, she smiled, and assured him that it had been “no trouble at all.”  
“Shame,” the emperor continued, deliberately angering her, “This place might have looked better had you tried.”  
Leia wanted to punch the smirk off his face, but she could sense Luke’s warning from beside her. He was so similar to their mother, so calm in the face of anguish. She admired him greatly for that. 

The great hall had been made up spotless for this moment alone. When Ben was a small child, he and Rey had imagined this scene. Ben would be, as he was now, standing with his attendants in traditional makeup and formal dress. His suitor would stride into the room and bow in front of him, knowing instantly who he was because they had fallen in love in preparation for this ceremony. He would then, of course, be married to the love of his life, and his father would return from his travels to see, and his grandmother and grandfather (though in force-ghost form) would be proud, and his mother would cry. Rey- and Poe, when he entered the equation a few years later- would be involved, and jealous that he had found someone so wonderful who would tolerate him, even with all his flaws and anger and things that made him different from the other padawans.  
How differently he felt today. The atmosphere was tense, and thick. His attendants were as reluctant as he, shuffling and adjusting their garments, which were high-collared and rising heat in the midday sun. Rey sat a little off centre of the room, her head bent low in conversation with Finn, her closest friend, who was supposed to be supervising the preparations outside. Ben doubted his mother would care right now. Padme, his grandmother and a close friend, was sat on the opposing wall, her eyes closed, pale and as beautiful as he was.  
He was trembling slightly. An attendant, the youngest of the group, put their hand on his arm, “May the force be with you.” Was muttered, and Ben turned his attention to the main doors, where footsteps indicated the moment he had been dreading.  
This moment would have been nerve-wracking enough, he mused briefly before the double doors opened and he made direct eye contact with his brother, had he not been about to marry the emperor. Hux was everything Ben hated; cold, ruthless, completely dismissive of the force, remorseless, stuck-up, arrogant. He cared not for anything which Ben saw as life-giving. Their marriage would be for show, a demonstration of dominance and submission. That is, if there were other intentions Ben could not see them- nor want to.  
Poe swung open the doors, and smiled weakly at him before quickly marching to the side, joining Rey and Finn, who had stood in position just in time. His uncle and his mother walked across to the centre of the room with the emperor, and Ben tried hard not to let his disdain show.  
It was customary for the suitor to bow to either- if they did not know which one he was, in the position in which Hux now stood- or to single out the prince and bow to him. His grandmother had romanticised this moment so much Ben thought he was dreaming when the young man, who’s relatively handsome but snooty face bore a relaxed smile, nodded politely to Luke and Leia, and walked forward a few paces.  
Ben felt his heart stop. Surely this was his chance- if the suitor guessed wrong, was it not possible to declare the marriage void? He was sure of reading that somewhere, he was sure, and suddenly he was praising the force because the odds of the emperor completely guessing, having no knowledge of him, right were low.  
When Hux bowed to him with a smirk, his hopes were dashed.  
“I look forward to making your company,” Hux said, and his eyes screamed victory. They had begun the game already it seemed.  
“I don’t look forward to yours.” Came out before he could stop it. Over Hux’s head Luke smiled and looked at his feet, Leia shook her head- though her eyes were smiling. Poe snorted, nerves making his reaction more violent than it usually would be.  
Hux didn’t reply, just smiled and nodded at him, before turning away- ridiculously rude, Ben thought- and facing Leia, “Now that’s done with, may I be shown to my quarters?”  
“Of course,” Leia gestured for a soldier to do so, and with that the Emperor and his men were gone, and Ben found the breath return to his body.  
“Interesting,” said Padme, which didn’t bode well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment/kudos it really makes my day! thanks for reading!


	3. Breakfast (3)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry for the update time- Uni lmao- I hope you enjoy!

“I don’t think it means anything that he was able to see which one Ben was,” Leia said, exasperated, at her mother, “Ben was scowling, it was pretty obvious.”

“You’re his mother, you would say that, you can recognise him anywhere.” Padme said, “Perhaps he is force sensitive.”

“Or, perhaps, the doubles idea isn’t foolproof.” Leia replied, rubbing her eyes, “Look, mother I know you and I could talk about the usefulness of political moves all night, but I’m exhausted, and I’m disappointed. If you have any idea how to stop this without causing the death of millions, I’d like to hear it. If not, go get some rest, I’ll see you tomorrow for breakfast.” 

It was custom, for the first few days, for the entirety of the royal family and the suitor to dine together for every breakfast and every dinner. Lunch could be taken separately, and would be, until the couple to be (or, if Ben was feeling too stressed, one of his counterparts in his place) would dine alone for their second meal of the day. Leia was more than dreading the next day’s events. She had a feeling that her son wouldn’t make this easy. 

She wouldn’t have done, she supposed. She would have been furious. She smiled then, suddenly glad that her son had reacted the way he was; with fury, but enough sense to allow the continuation of the process. He was so much like her, and so much like his grandfather- though she knew this would worry others if she voiced this observation aloud. She wished Han was here; Ben could use his company, she was sure.

“Tomorrow will be better,” soothed her mother, to nobody in particular after her daughter was gone. There was a gentle movement of the air around her, and Anakin’s hands were on her shoulders.

“Padme. You’re not all that worried.”

His love smiled, “I know how the empire is, Annie. The emperor was just a boy, younger than you were when you were corrupted by its hold.” She turned to face him, “But some things are stronger than propaganda. And Leia will do well with the empire in her grasp.”

Anakin closed his eyes, “The force is troubled. But I sense most of that is from our grandson. I will talk with him, but there’s only so much I can say. They should have trained him as a jedi, not a politician.”

Padme sighed, “And would that have helped in this situation?”

Anakin smiled, before he faded into nothingness again. Padme smiled too, then went to sleep, her head full of thoughts- but none of them panic. 

///

The morning dawned bright and beautiful over the palace. A family of small water birds scuttled their way across the dew-covered grass as Finn set up for the day, humming a gentle tune Luke had taught him to deal with anxieties.

“Something troubling you?” a familiar voice startled him, but he was glad to see Poe in the doorway of the kitchens, not in his nightclothes as he usually was this hour, but in flight gear- which was not expected.

“I’m alright,” Finn said, smiling despite his worries- Poe had that effect on him, “He’s your brother. I’m just worried about giving the empire what they want. They- they don’t stop there you know.” He trembles then, slightly, and if Poe hadn’t been enraptured with him he might not have noticed. 

Poe’s hand was on his, suddenly, and Finn looked up into kind eyes, “It will work out, Finn.” He said, and- though the ex-stormtrooper didn’t quite believe him, the words were enough to calm his nerves.

“Anyway I’m just heading out for a flight before breakfast,” Poe said to break the comfortable silence and the intense eye contact, “But if you need any help here I’ll gladly be obliged.”

Finn blushed as he turned back towards the topiary he had been trimming, “It’s fine- thank you though.”

Poe smiled, then, behind Finn’s back opened his mouth to say something, closed it, opened it again then shook his head with a smile, turning away to walk past his friend to the aircraft hangar. Finn wondered whether he should have asked the prince to stay, but he couldn’t dwell long- Luke hated it when his padawans were late for early meditation. 

When he arrived- a few minutes late and breathless- he was surprised to see Ben among the group. He’d thought the prince would be too upset to attend today. When he entered, Rey and Ben smirked as Luke held up a hand to stop him in his tracks, and opened one eye, “You’re late.”

“Yes.” He replied, then rushed an apology which Luke cut short with a smile,

“Just sit down.” 

He did so, crossing his legs and sitting behind his master, in between the other two. The floor was cold but not unpleasantly so- the heat of the day had yet to warm the rock, and a gentle breeze from the entrance of the cave made him sigh in contentment. It was only a few moments before Rey spoke, breaking the silence.

“Master Lu-“

“Rey. This is not a guided meditiation.”

“I know but Mast-“

“Rey.”

She rolled her eyes and stood, walking to stand in front of the jedi, hands on her hips. He smirked, before finally opening his eyes, “What is it?”

She knelt in front of him until she could meet his eye, “Is there something you aren’t telling us?”

At this, Ben and Finn opened their eyes, and looked at one another, curious. 

Luke sighed, “As always, Rey, attune to things you cannot begin to comprehend. Did any of you sense a disturbance in the force this morning?” 

When his padawans shook their heads, he nodded thoughtfully and went to the mouth of the cave, looking out at the palace sprawled across the vast grounds below them, “Exactly. The force feels at balance, all of a sudden, though last night it was tumultuous.”

Finn started, “What does that mean?”

Luke pulled a face, “I’m not sure. It could mean nothing. Or… that we are heading in the way the force wants.”

Ben stood, angry all of a sudden, hands balled into a fist, “The force wants this?”

Luke shook his head, turning to face his nephew, “You misunderstand, Ben.”

Ben crossed his arms, “Explain then.”

Luke sighed, “It is very rare that our individual actions and decisions influence the movement of the force. If, however, future decisions that will have been enabled would influence it, there is sometimes a peace within our own experiences of the force. I’ve felt it once before, when I left Tattooine, because it enabled the destruction of the death star, if you understand.”

Ben wasn’t sure he did, but the reference to such an event made him hopeful. A loud, clear bell rang then, breaking the tension, and the jedis made their way back to the palace, Ben dragging behind as much as time allowed. 

///

The curtains were pulled open by a maid who introduced herself politely as “Leanna, Sir. It’s a lovely morning, huh?” 

It was an oddly casual way to address the emperor. He’d remember that, he thought, sitting up in the bed and glaring at Phasma, who had followed the maid in, wearing a bright summer dress that was strangely suitable for a situation like this, and not at all suitable for a security guard. 

“Good morning, Armitage,” she said, business-like tone but served with a smile, “We have about ten minutes until breakfast I thought I’d talk you through some things.”

“Ten minutes away you deign to wake me?” Hux snapped- he was not the most polite person, even less so in the mornings. 

“I’m sorry, your highness,” she quickly shifted- though not scared of Hux, she knew it was wise not to piss him off, and how easily angered he was, “I forgot to input the time difference on my alarm this morning and it wasn’t scheduled to go off for a few hours now, so I had to get ready after waking up naturally.”

“Idiot.” Hux said, though his anger seemed to have dissolved, “I’ll meet you outside in a few minutes.”

“Very good,” she said, bowing her head and leaving the room, where she bumped into a rushing young man who somewhat resembled the prince, though less angry and shorter. The attendant bowed hurriedly, before running off along the hall, presumably to meet the prince- though the attendants would not be attending this meal with the prince, unless one stood in his place, according to the maid she had chatted up last night, who had been more than willing to explain things to Phasma after a few drinks and batting eyelashes. 

“Alright then,” her employer and sort-of-friend said, appearing at the door and stretching, still looking a little irritated and somewhat tired, “Let’s get this over with. I really wish we didn’t have to go through with all this nonsense.” 

Phasma once again had to bite her own tongue, wanting to ask Hux why he was even marrying Ben at all: the empire had enough power to destroy the Amidala family and the planets which they owned, and they could do without the resources, though she would admit they were plentiful. Hux had never shown an interest in a marriage before, even for the production of heirs, though she supposed he must have to feel things occasionally, though the evidence seemed stacked against her in that respect.

The halls of the palace were wide, vast and high-ceilinged, though they were nothing compared to the emperor’s own abode, so Phasma and Hux weren’t phased by the sprawling marble interiors, nor by the ornately carved furniture- though occasionally a lady of the palace would walk past in a gown so beautiful Phasma would forget where they were, and it would seem as if they were on their way to some grand ball, among the gods if the star-like twinkle in the fabrics used here were anything to go by. She had no doubt that the prince would be as stunning today as he had seemed, no matter how obviously distressed he had been, the day before. She wondered if the boy’s looks had anything to do with Hux’s decision. 

A glance at her companion’s face told her nothing. Hux was hard to read at the best of times, let alone with no expectations as to his thoughts, like today. It was unsettling.

The doors to the dining hall were opened, and the smell of fresh pastries hit them like a tidal wave, and she remembered that it had been some time since she’d last eaten. A breeze from the gardens outside glided like silk across her bare arms, rising goosebumps across her skin. Hux sniffed slightly, an aversion to pollen from a lifetime in synthetic environments, and took the seat the butler gestured him into.

The dining hall was empty, save for the general herself, who sat on the opposite end to him, hands folded neatly on the table, her military uniform flawless, and her mother. Padme wore a long, cream dress which matched the spiralling headdress which reached her bared shoulders. Jewels, glinting in the light of the sun, joined the headdress to her arms, loosely, though it wasn’t clear to him how much her movement would be restrained. Her makeup was simple, her face painted white save for a small line of red dots which curved around her protruding cheekbones, and matching red lipstick, covering only the centre of her lower lip. Age had had little effect on her beauty, he mused, nor on the general’s. 

“General,” he greeted, and she bowed her head slightly before replying.

“Emperor Hux,” her voice was calm, deadly. If Hux was less of a frightening person himself, he may have been intimidated. 

Before he could remark, somewhat snootily, that the palace was lovely for someone with so little resources, the doors behind her slammed open, and the younger prince stood breathless in the doorway, hair messy, still in his flight gear. Hux thought to himself that it was ridiculous the orphan was considered a prince among these people; he had no right nor manners to be. 

“Sorry,” Poe whispered, bowing low to his grandmother, taking a seat beside her, diagonal to Phasma. 

“You could’ve gotten into your clean uniform,” Padme said, though it was fond, not angry. He offered her a weak apologetic smile.

Leia glanced at her watch and sighed, “I apologise for the lateness of not only my son but his uncle, who should know better by now.”

“It’s no trouble,” Hux smiled, “Though it would be a shame if I can’t marry your son because I don’t know him, and something should happen to your planet as a result.” 

Leia’s eyes narrowed, but she bit her tongue under the prod of her mother’s finger.

“You would punish a group of people for a little lateness?” Padme said, voice silky, judgemental and calm, most of all. Leia was practically vibrating with anger beside her. They were such a contrast; Hux wondered why Amidala had even let her daughter take control.

“I’m not suggesting that, just commenting that I have no obligation to defend a group of planets with which the empire has little trade links and no real need for.” 

The air was tense before Ben and his attendants entered, but the atmosphere seemed to darken with the other man’s forced neutral expression- it took Hux a few minutes to distinguish him, but Phasma still could not be certain as they sat to the General’s left, opposite the imperials. 

Each of the six young men who had joined them for breakfast were beautiful; the unusual features they seemed to share only serving to make them seem more ethereal. They wore their hair tied back into a modest crimson head-piece which curved like a semi-circle to the top of their heads. Their clothes consisted of a long, dark silk, twinkling robe over smart trousers and a plain but expensive-looking red top without sleeves, the sleeves of the robe serving well enough. Their makeup was traditional, nothing special, but it served its purpose of disguising the real prince, which Hux supposed should have just been formality at this point should they have actually loved one another. 

“Your Majesty,” One on an edge, furthest from the General and himself, greeted. Phasma wondered if they were talking to the prince as the boy’s lip twitched in disdain, or if they all shared their prince’s feelings about the Emperor.

“Good Morning,” Hux said, unperturbed, to Ben, who sat beside the attendant who had spoken, watching him with an unreadable expression.

The rest of breakfast was spent discussing various peoples’ plans for the day, so as to not interact. Hux thought it quite preposterous, but was reluctant to argue about each detail of the marriage traditions. He couldn’t wait to bring the prince back to his ship and leave the general’s company. He couldn’t wait to be back in his own palace, with his own-made traditions. He couldn’t wait to be in control, of everything; of Ben. 

“Why don’t I show you around?” Poe offered, surprisingly amicable, “You might want to take this palace as your home, you are able to.”

“And welcome to,” Padme smiled, “We’d love to have you here.”

The implication was, of course, they were trying to keep Ben close to them. Hux would not have it, but there was no sense in saying so; the choice was only his to make, after all. He felt slightly drunk on power- his favourite feeling. 

“It can’t hurt, I suppose.” He said, and the adopted prince looked relieved. It wouldn’t last long, Hux thought to himself as he finished breakfast. He wasn’t about to be friendly for no reason, it was much easier to be himself. 

“And what will you do today?” he asked, suddenly, causing Ben to look up from his breakfast quickly, glaring at his tone.

“Avoid you.” 

“How sweet.” 

Leia glared at her son down the length of the table. Poe put his head in his hands, to avoid smiling rather than anything else. Hux continued to smirk at Ben’s scowl, still somehow knowing which one he was. It was infuriating. He had hoped he could’ve sent an attendant every one of their one-on-ones so he’d never have to talk to the emperor alone, despite being aware of how foolish it would be to not speak to your husband-to-be. 

“I’ll be training.” Ben said, relenting at the look on his mother’s face.

“Training what?” 

“To be a jedi.” There was a spark in his eyes, a flicker of determination, adoration, excitement for the action. Hux felt a pang of jealousy he hadn’t anticipated, and decided suddenly that it was his new goal to make Ben’s eyes shine that way for him, and only thing. He had to douse it, first, to light it somewhere else.

“I shouldn’t trouble yourself. I don’t permit usage of the force in my palace, especially in my private accommodation.”

“You cannot stop me.” Brave words, fear in the eyes betraying the sentiment.

“Watch me.” The emperor smirked, then stood, bowing his head to the General and Padme, “Thank you for breakfast.”

He turned to Poe, “Come and find me whenever you’re ready for the grand tour of this magnificent place.” 

It would have been a fine thing to say, Ben thought, had Hux’s voice not dripped of sarcasm at every word. He was furious, but tried to keep it inside; it wouldn’t do to throw the emperor across the room, no matter how much he wanted to. 

Poe nodded graciously, and the Emperor marched out of the room, Phasma hot on his heels, backs straight, soldiers. 

Ben stood to face his mother before she could speak, “I hate him.” 

His attendants muttered agreements, more reluctant to address the general herself in such a way. They were close friends of his, and took training at his uncle’s jedi academy, at which he, Rey and Finn also studied. They followed him at every turn, and had agreed adamantly last night to be as sour towards the emperor as possible to help conceal the explosive prince’s identity. 

They had no idea Hux could see through them, and why should they? Nobody else outside the royal family ever had. 

///

“He would be good looking, at least, if he didn’t scrunch up his nose so much,” the youngest attendant (Six) said, lying with his back on his bed, changed into training gear ready for the prince’s arrival.

“Red-heads are rare,” Three said from the bunk above, where One was braiding his hair back, “But he’s kind of scary, I’ll admit. I sense a darkness in him, no wonder Ben doesn’t want anything to do with him.”

“Keep it down please,” Lieutenant Connix scolded, from where she’d been placed on security with Rey, who sat at the window dangling her feet over the edge, “You never know who’s a spy.”

“I don’t think the emperor would be troubled by our opinions,” Three said, but glanced around in concern regardless. 

Connix shifted in her boots, standing to attention when Ben re-entered the room, Poe at his side, his brother’s hand on his shoulder. “If the opportunity arises I promise you I will kill him and die for your cause.” Poe smiled, and Ben laughed despite himself, “Have fun training, I’ll see you for dinner tonight, I’m having lunch with your new husband- don’t be jealous.”

“I’m not!” Ben called as his brother strode through the doors of the attendants’ chambers, waving behind him jovially. He couldn’t understand why Poe was so positive all of a sudden, but he thought he’d just have to trust him. 

“How are you, Ben?” Five asked, looking up from his book. He was studying history, as the son of Padme’s historian, it was in his blood. 

“How would you be?” Ben sighed, sitting on the nearest bed, where Two moved to give him space.  
Rey smile sympathetically and leant her elbow on him, throwing her other arm dramatically over her face, “I’d be a lot more dramatic, like I thought you would be. You’re king of tantrums.”

“You should see my room.” Ben sighed, and she patted his head awkwardly, not completely sure what to say. Nobody did anymore.

“Shall we?” Connix gestured to the door, patting one of the buns on the side of her head neatly. 

Ben was thankful for the training. He wondered how it would be without this break from Hux, how often he would be in his husband’s company. 

He had to admit the other man was handsome; it was almost objectively true (except, perhaps, to Rey who was as gay as Poe was). He was tall, striking in his dark uniform, contrasting with pale skin and the flash of colour of his neatly-kept hair. His smug look was, unfortunately, attractive. A slight flicker of hope that, even if he continued to hate the man as he believed he would, he might at least be able to find him physically appealing, popped into Ben’s head. It quickly vanished, however, when he remembered the comment Hux had made about the force. 

If the man tried to take his lightsabre away he would leave, he thought to himself, screw the consequences. If they were to be married Hux would have to marry him, not the emperor’s version of him. That, Ben thought, was his only demand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave kudos and/or a comment, even if its constructive criticism (though please be nice I try my best) they make my day! :D


	4. Day One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know, I know, it's been agesss since I updated this! The truth is, I've kinda lost motivation to do things anyway but i also kind of lost interest in Star Wars (I KNOW, SHOOT ME!) for a few months- now i've seen The Last Jedi I'm back on this trash-ship! Thanks so much for reading, please leave kudos/comments they really make my day and help me find the energy to write so they're very much appreciated! (even constructive criticism, i like to know if my characters are OOC so I can fix it!)

The gardens were beautiful; a humble expanse of green that stretched as far as the eye could see. A fountain, with two cupids shooting one another, was slowly revealed as the pair rounded the corner of the perfectly manicured hedge of the main garden. This part was overlooked by the royal family; there were three balconies into their bedchambers here. It was the most central part of the grounds, protected by regular guard patrols even through the night. Padme was on the bottom floor as she held the least security threat, then Ben, then Leia, who was at most risk of abduction as the current monarch. Today the double doors into each room were open, the expensive curtains flowing in the gentle breeze.

Poe smiled politely as he led the emperor past the fountain, trying to be pleasant while the emperor tried his best to be unpleasant. 

“So where exactly are you taking me?” Hux asked. There was something odd in his tone, curious, but falsely indifferent. 

“I,” said Poe, carefully, “Am taking you to my brother’s favourite place.”

“Adopted brother.” Hux corrected, though he continued to follow the prince down the gravel path. 

“When we were growing up together,” Poe said, emphasising specific words too, “We would go down to the very edge of the grounds and play in the shade of the trees.”

“You would walk me all this way to some foliage?”

Poe laughed, slightly, “Of course not. Beyond the trees, is where we’re going.”

Hux glanced over his shoulder, an eyebrow raised, to check that Phasma was somewhere in the near region. He didn’t think Poe had malicious intentions- or at least, not physically malicious intentions- but he had to be sure. You can’t be both emperor and safe, he had learnt that from a young age. 

She was, as it turned out. Walking in step to him, about twenty feet behind to give them privacy, not even pretending to not be watching. 

Good, he thought, eyeing Poe suspiciously. The young “prince” was far more attractive than his royal brother, though Hux barely noticed, thinking only of the way this man presented himself and how irritating it was becoming. He still wore that hateful flight suit, and his hair flopped over his right eye even in the breeze. Hux, who kept his hair as neatly as possible, couldn’t understand why some people found that attractive. 

“What, exactly, is beyond the trees?” he asked, stopping to look at his companion, who smiled, suddenly quite sincere. 

“Ben’s favourite place. The underground lagoon.” 

“Are you going to drown me in it?” Hux said, snorting slighty, and Poe shook his head.

“My mother would have my head,” He said, and Hux felt anger rise in his throat- if the boy hadn’t been a so-called-prince, he would have had him arrested- or even executed- for such an idle threat.   
Poe was walking ahead now, ducking under the sweeping branches of the willow trees which appeared to border the palace gardens, gently swaying in the breeze. If Hux had been an easily impressed man, the sight would have been lovely at worst, but he didn’t find the idea of following Poe Dameron into the shade of the willow trees intoxicating; he found it irritating. He turned to Phasma, who had also stopped, and was now standing to attention, and told her to wait for him outside the trees, but to come in should he not return in a short amount of time. She nodded, and smiled, and he returned a grimace and ducked under the leaves. 

Poe was waiting for him at the foot of a man-made cave entrance, hands neatly folded behind his back, a small warm smile on his face. The sunlight dappled through the leaves, casting little dancing shadows on the other man’s face- Hux thought suddenly that he was very handsome, despite being a nobody disguised as a prince. 

“Ben loves this place, and if you’re going to marry Ben, you should know what he loves very well.” Poe said. His tone was cheerful, but there was a sense of warning in his words that did nothing but irritate Hux, who was not at all frightened by Poe, or intimidated by his more impressive physical stature. He wondered if Poe realised how indifferent he was to Ben’s previous life, how little he cared for what he liked or disliked, let alone what he loved. Ben would only love Hux, if everything went to plan. He wouldn’t like or dislike anything else; except perhaps this irritating false prince, who seemed to know him very well. Oh, Poe. Poe would be hated by Ben, if Hux had anything to do with it. 

“I see.” He said, to keep the peace, and gestured for Poe to lead- you didn’t survive as the emperor if you let strangers follow you into dark rooms. The prince did so, and he followed suit only somewhat reluctantly, trying very hard not to be curious. 

There were stairs cut out of stone, and while outside was warm and sunny, the darkness was cool. Their footsteps were the only sounds as Poe led them down the slowly spiralling stone staircase in the pitch black, and the occasional “mind your head” from the prince. As they reached the bottom of the stairs it became lighter; sunlight seemed to be filtered through small holes in the rocks, and a giant glass window cast a natural spot light on the water which sparkled in the light. The lagoon stretched on into caverns beyond their reach from the side, and there was no way Hux or Poe were anywhere near the mood to go for a dip. Hux wondered, momentarily as silence fell between them, how many times his future husband had come down here to find peace- he had heard Ben’s temper was quite something, and he often needed to leave to calm down- was here the place? 

He could imagine the anger fizzling into nothingness as the cool water of the lagoon engulfed Ben’s pale- somehow almost as pale as his own- skin, sinking slowly, almost unclothed, hair and eyes wild. He stopped imagining, aware he was in Poe’s company, and decided that provoking Ben might have a few more benefits than demonstrating his superior self-control. He wasn’t sure, for a few moments, whether he was glad to be attracted to Ben- but the thought didn’t bother him long, it wasn’t worth any stress.

“It’s beautiful.” He said, trying to sound mocking, the words falling a little short as his eyes caught sight of two handprints on the wall, overlooking the far side of the shallow steps leading to the lagoon itself. A large hand, fingers splayed into the material which had long since dried, was accompanied by the name Han Solo and a much much smaller hand, slightly below it and labelled Ben Solo. 

“Han Solo,” Hux said, recognising the name from his father’s gloating long ago, “The smuggler your princess married only for him to run off twelve years later to the other edge of the universe.”

Poe nodded, a sort of smile on his face, “Yes, Ben’s dad. A good man, not a good father or husband.”

Hux smirked, logging “no father” on the mental file for his future husband. He walked as close as he could to the hand-marks and turned to his companion, folding his arms behind his back, “And the story behind this?”

Poe shrugged, raising his eyebrows and closing his eyes, smiling as if he’d tried a hundred times to find out that very question, “Ben never says. I’ve asked him a few times, but he hardly ever talks about his dad at all.”

“Why would he? He’s a prince, his father is nobody.” Hux muttered, and something darkened in Poe’s face.

“His father is a sore subject around here. But I would have to correct you on that.” Poe crossed his arms, standing back a little on one leg- a heroic pose, “Han Solo is a hero, in many ways.” 

Hux blinked, looked down at the ground and sniffed, suddenly awkward. He mentally noted not to bring up Han Solo in front of the general, unless he was trying to start an argument or make her sad. He would never admit that he’d thought, fleetingly, of his mother while Poe defended Ben’s absent father. 

“Shall we go see the rest, then?” He said, if only to move his thoughts away, “I have a half hour spare.” 

Poe grinned, leading the way back up the stairs, and trying very hard not to drown Hux in the lagoon.

/// 

Leia was not happy. Ben could feel it as she approached, and, knowing how best to deal with his mother, he leapt to his feet and stood to face the door, which flew open at a flick of her wrist. Leia only used the force when she needed to- or when she was alone with Ben. Lieutenant Connix, who was serving as his bodyguard today and had, until this very moment been mocking the Jedi-in-training, stood to attention. 

“Ben Organa-Solo.” His mother’s voice made a chill run up his spine, “What do you not understand about ‘no attendants in attendance’?”

“The phrasing?” he joked, and Connix and Rey snorted. 

Leia rolled her eyes, exasperated but fond- and slightly amused. 

“I couldn’t help it, mum. They all wanted to find out more anyway.” He sat down on the wooden bench at the far wall of the gym, and suddenly looked very small. Leia asked the others to leave, and came and sat beside her son, her hand on his in his lap. 

“Ben,” she said, careful to approach softly but not patronising, well aware of the rage coiling in his chest like a snake about to strike, “If you don’t follow tradition he might not. And he might take you away from us earlier than we fear. Or worse…” she sighed and looked away, “Back out of the deal and kill innocent people- including everyone on this planet.

For once, Ben didn’t reply. He just rested his head on her shoulder. 

Outside, Connix folded her arms and leant back against the wall, Rey doing the same opposite her. “I really want to help Ben,” Rey said, “but what can we do?”

Connix smiled, a sad smile, “Not much.” 

“Poe seemed set on something this morning,” Rey said, “He insisted on taking the Emperor around the grounds… I’ll talk to Master Luke about how to proceed.” She’d learnt to do that, before doing things. Occasionally. 

///

Luke was flirting with a palace guard when Rey found him, though he’d never admit it and she’d never tell him she knew about it. “Master Luke,” she greeted, and he embraced her enthusiastically, leading her away from the guard and down into the gardens, to the west. They lived in this part of the palace grounds, in a small cottage-like building. 

“Rey,” he said, after a few moments of comfortable silence, “Do you remember when I adopted you? You were very young so I doubt you remember much.” 

Rey scrunched up her face, the heat of the sun hitting her cheeks as she tilted her chin upwards to the sky, “Not much. I remember when you bought me from the parts dealers. I was so happy.”

Luke smiled, heart full with emotion, then turned his attention to her, “I couldn’t bring myself to leave you there. You were so cute and small…” 

Rey smiled too, feeling emotion welling in her eyes.

“But I also felt something powerful in you.” Luke said, suddenly serious, “And I wanted to train you to use it for good.”

“Yes Master Luke,” she said, following him as he continued down the stone steps to their home, “But why are you telling me this?”

“Because it is important to remember that we are working for the light side of the force in dark times like these,” he said, ducking through the doorway. Rey followed, feeling nerves rise in her stomach- he had seemed so calm earlier, so at peace- he seemed troubled now. 

A stew cooked on the stove, simmering gently as Luke stirred it, muttering to himself. Rey leant against the doorway, patting down her royally-commissioned Jedi robes, which were a sparkling white and the same as those worn by Finn, her cousin and her father. They were much nicer than anything she had worn before; as a child she had worn the same outfit her birth parents had sold her in for years on end. Then, when she had first been brought to the palace they had dressed her as they did Ben; in expensive linens and gorgeous silks that brought out her eyes and made her look very pretty. But as soon as she had started Jedi training she had found she was much more comfortable in the robes, and had worn them ever since. 

“Father,” she said, “Are you alright?”

Luke straightened his back, turning to look at his daughter with a fond smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “My sister is marrying my nephew to the emperor, a man who has more darkness in him than I have seen before in any man. Since his proposal of the deal I have been turning the situation over more and more in my head and- short of assassination, which in itself brings lots of different risks, I cannot find a way out of it.” 

“Nobody can.” Rey said, “Though I heard Poe might’ve done.” 

Luke considered her, smiling fondly, “Poe Dameron is a wonderful boy, Rey. He’s smart and he’s got a good heart. But… he’s impulsive. I don’t know what he’s thinking but if you see him tell him to stop it. You can’t appeal to people like Hux with Poe’s charm, or with anything that a normal person might like. They feed on power, and feeling superior. Marrying Ben is about that, unfortunately.” 

Rey sighed, sitting down at the table, “I’m worried for him.”

“Me too,” Luke said, “But, most concerning of all: the force does not.” 

They sat in silence, feeling the flow of the force in the universe for a few minutes, before Luke patted her shoulder, “After lunch we’ll go find Ben and resume training. I think he needs to be kept as far away from his future husband as possible today.” 

Rey agreed, setting the table, her mind going a mile a minute, trying to calm down and focus on the force, instead finding only her own panic and concern. 

///

They took lunch in the garden, on the terrace of the main estate. The doors leading into the dining room were flung open, the curtains flying in the wind towards them like great white doves. The emperor sat on one of the palace’s garden chairs; a beautifully engraved painted-white Endor wooden piece, part of a matching set of twenty gifted to the General after her part in defending Endor against the empire. Of course, now Hux’s men had wiped out most of the natives and made Endor part of their colonies, the wood was in no short supply. 

Opposite him the Prince stared fondly over the expanse of gardens below- if you’d have followed his eyes more carefully you would have fallen on not the magnificent fountain that spouted great curves of glittering water, nor the willows which led to Ben’s Secret Place. Nor would you have seen the beautiful topiaries that lined the path to the Rose Garden, or even the gravel drive which led around the estate to the front Gate and the X-Wing Hangar. If Hux had deigned to follow Poe’s gaze he would have seen Finn and Rose, discussing something casually as they walked towards Luke’s West Cottage. In the soft breeze of the day and the light of the midday sun their stroll seemed quite romantic- if you hadn’t known them both as Poe did, their linked arms would have given that impression by themselves. But Poe did know them, and while it was true Rose had at one time been enraptured by Finn (who wasn’t?), that was a thing of the past, and Finn hadn’t reciprocated those feelings anyway. 

Rose was one of Poe’s best friends, so he was glad Finn didn’t have to come between them. She was a short, sweet-looking girl and an amazing engineer. She looked after the royal spaceship, the small number of X-wings they kept from their more “rebellious” acts of the past and, when he occasionally docked it at the palace, Han’s Millennium Falcon. 

“So is this all of the palace or is there something more impressive you can show me?” Hux’s disdainful voice broke Poe’s daydreaming, and he forced a small smile on his face to reply.

“Well I can show you around the inside of the main estate. That’s all I’m afraid. The General doesn’t measure her success on her wealth or her palace.” It was a subtle dig, but a dig all the same. Hux’s nose crinkled slightly, but his mouth twitched in what might have been the beginnings of a smile. 

“I see. Well, let’s leave that for after dinner I have a lot of work to do at some point. I expect you also have things to attend to?”

Poe shrugged, “Not really today. But if you would like a nice place to work I can show you to the library. It’s really a beautiful room.” 

“Thank you,” Hux smiled as the starters were served for lunch; an elegant dish of seared sea-food on a bed of fresh vegetables from the garden, which Poe informed him was ran by a “wonderful” and “talented” man referred to only as Finn. 

They ate in mostly silence, discussing polite things such as the weather and Phasma, who had been standing leaning against the wall overlooking the gardens, enjoying a cold glass of lemonade one of the maids had slipped her without the emperor looking. “She does the job well and without complaint.” Hux said, as a response to Poe’s cheerful statement that he didn’t see many female bodyguards, and how good it was he’d hired her. 

Phasma smiled, closing her eyes momentarily to feel the heat of the sun on her eyelids. She remembered first meeting Hux. He was no more than a boy- though she was little more than a girl, standing awkwardly tall among the female soldiers, broader than the men to their side. He had walked among his subjects and servants, head held high, an air of dangerous insecurity about him. His father, who had inherited the position of emperor from the late Emperor Palpatine after his next-in-command had died a defector, marched ahead of him. She remembered thinking by looking at the boy, that the emperor might as well have had a timer on top of his head, how doomed he was. 

“Poe,” came a soft voice, and both men and Phasma turned to look at the Queen Mother, who seemed to float towards them, followed by two soldiers acting as her guards, “Your imperial majesty,” she bowed her head, sweeping herself into a seat the guards pulled up at their table. Poe stood, bowing low to his grandmother, and Hux nodded, “Your majesty.” He said in return. 

Padme was by no means less intimidating than her daughter. She had changed out of the headdress she’d worn at breakfast, the jewels attaching it to her dress apparently removable, and now wore a delicate cream shawl worn over her shoulders and arms, so that when she moved them they fluttered lightly in the breeze. Her face was ordered into the gentle politeness of neutrality, and her eyes glinted with intelligence and hope that could not be diminished for all the tragedy in the world. As the leader of an organisation which ran on quashing hope, Hux was relatively cautious around her, though he never would admit it aloud. 

“Please,” she waved Poe to sit, and folded her hands- both wielding magnificently crafted rings- on the table-cloth in front of her. 

“To what matter do we owe this pleasure?” Poe smiled, and his grandmother’s eyebrow quirked slightly. 

“I just wanted to know how your tour of the palace was going,” she turned to look at Hux with an unreadable expression, “And if there’s anything I can do to make your stay more comfortable.” 

The proper answer here would be “Of course not, you’ve already done far too much.” But Hux was not an ordinary visitor, and Poe became aware suddenly that he was about to have to watch the emperor complain about every little thing the staff did, if not simply to seem more important than he was. It wasn’t in his grandmother’s nature to discipline staff for the opinions of rude guests- but Hux was not a usual guest: he was the Emperor. Poe was suddenly fearful, though not for long, because Hux surprised him in his answer.

“I ask no more than some time alone to work, if it please you.” He said, sickeningly polite and genial. 

“I think we can grant you that.” Padme smiled, then turned to Poe, who straightened his back on instinct, “Come along then, let’s have a walk in the gardens.” 

She stood, extending her arm to him, and he hurried to take it, honour seeping through his veins like a drug, bowing briefly to the emperor before doing so. She curtseyed, only slightly, before gesturing for a soldier to show the Emperor and Phasma to the library, and led Poe and the other soldier down the stone steps to the gardens, heading past the fountain to the rose gardens. 

Hux watched them depart for a few moments, before following the guard into the palace, Phasma walking a few steps behind, keeping her eyes trained on the man’s sheathed blaster. 

///

Ben had spent his lunch-time in between fits of rage and grief, pacing the floors of his chambers and standing, glaring, on the terrace outside his bedroom. From there he could see the people on the terrace below but remain essentially unnoticed; when the sun was above them it blocked the view of anyone on the royal balconies. He and Poe liked to watch the fantastic parties their parents held for foreign diplomats down there, long after they were meant to be in bed. Poe would sneak in from his room across the hall and the boys would sit in the wind, watching the dancing of the lights below and listening to what they could of the conversation, or what snippets of music they could hear. 

When alone, Ben used to stand on the balcony and watch his mother take meetings on the terrace, watch his father surprise her with flowers, watch her and his uncle sit and watch the stars together and dream that one day his life would be filled with a career as successful, a romance more secure and friendships as close and powerful as theirs. He had dreamed of tall, handsome strangers bowing low, of lines of gifts and love letters- he had dreamed of raising a new society which celebrated Jedi, of going down in history as a great leader. 

Now he watched Poe take lunch with his future husband, and felt nothing good about it. He had hoped that such a sight would have once made him happy, proud even, that the two were getting along. Now he wished Poe would beat the man to a pulp, or something. 

He was running late, now. As he ran down the path towards his uncle’s cottage he saw the servants clearing the lunch, talking amongst themselves as they went about their work. He saw the guards holding open doors for maids, smiling not just because they had to. He saw his home as it always was, and a sudden pang of loss struck him in the heart. 

Focus on training, he told himself. Focus on the force. 

///

The Palace library was old-fashioned, much older than the rest of the palace. It reminded Hux of pictures in the fairy-tale books his mother used to read to him: bookcases to the ceiling, ladders which rolled on wheels, little lamps which illuminated small, private spaces. It was quickly his favourite room in the palace. 

Like a long-time worshipper entering a fantastic cathedral, Hux wandered through the shelves with a sudden sense of awe and excitement, running his fingers along the spines of the books as he did so, a giddy laugh threatening to burst from his throat, a smile spreading across his face. Phasma had never seen him like this before. 

As if realising he was in company, Hux stopped in his tracks and turned to her, straightening his back and clearing his throat, “I suppose I should get to work.” He said.

She nodded, smiling as much as was polite to do so, “Good idea, Sir.” 

He nodded to himself, setting up his PADD as he walked to a nearby table, in a corner of the library surrounded by shelves. Phasma leant against one of the book-cases, where she could safely see the rest of the library and sighed, ready to watch the time go by impossibly slowly. 

When time came for dinner Hux was too engrossed in his work to notice the approaching footsteps, but not too interested to notice that the voice was new, and not exactly pleased to see him. 

His future husband stood beside Phasma at the bookshelves, dressed for dinner, a sneer on his lips and hatred in his eyes. Hux wondered, only briefly, if he was facing his future husband or an attendant, before he met the others’ eyes and then he knew. Only Ben Organa-Solo’s eyes looked at him like that. 

“Against my will, I have come to ask you to dinner.” Ben said, bowing theatrically low, spinning on his heel and marching off towards the dining hall. His dinner outfit flowed out behind him as he departed, adding dramatic flair to the exit that made Hux smirk. 

“I suppose we’d better go,” he said, putting the PADD down on the table and standing, patting down his uniform, “I wonder why he hates me so much.” 

Phasma wasn’t sure whether or not to respond, not sure if the question was hypothetical or open to her answer, so she just nodded and fell behind, keeping an eye on both the emperor and the prince, who had put quite a distance between them now. 

She wondered if this would always be the case, if they would ever walk side-by-side. Watching the closest thing she had to a friend march behind his husband to be, perplexed and intrigued, she couldn’t help but hope so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This turned out a little longer than expected :') I hope to update soon, i'm aiming to within the week! Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave kudos and review, i'd love to hear what you think!


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